


The Severed Timeline

by Lunas_paradox



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Chrom x female Robin, Cordelia x male Robin, F/M, Male Robin is named Rufure, Twin Robins, Unique timeline, i am too lazy to add all of them, may add more pairings later - Freeform, the whole awakening characters are in here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2019-10-15 04:50:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17522267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunas_paradox/pseuds/Lunas_paradox
Summary: Robin had lost everything years ago but she still had a dream left a dream she shared with her beloved brother. A dream which she would fulfil no matter what the consequences. Rufure loved his siblings and he would protect no matter what consequences. They both wouldn't imagine how fate will bend and curve as their story pans out.





	1. Fractured Beginning

_**The Fractured Beginning** _

She ran alongside him as Chrom parried with that vile man, swords clashing with each other strike by strike matching. She hated to admit but he was a well-seasoned fighter if he was not so insane, he would make for a strong commander. Yet it no longer mattered because she was going to kill him here and now with _them_  by her side and end this war for once and all. She won't let his ambitions come true. She noticed Chrom slightly slowing down that arm of his again acting up. She threw a spell at him and like she expected he easily dodged it, but he leapt back from Chrom.

"Up!" Chrom shouted and she looked up to notice him throwing a dark spell directly at her, she won't make it time. But someone pulled her aside strongly by her collar aside barely rolling out of its way, and she thanked  _him_  as they both coughed out from the remnants of the spell.  _He_  smiled at her and then got up throwing  _his_  own spell at him. She brought her bearings back and got up too taking out her Levin sword she rushed to him aiming for his blind side, his left shoulder. She strikes fast with precision and a deep gash ran on him and he hissed glaring at her. He stepped back and Thoron strikes again. He growled out as he threw his own spell to dodge it, distracted he didn't notice Chrom coming from the other side and aiming right for his neck. He sensed it in last minute and to her shock, he teleported right out of the range and came on Chrom's side and threw a dark spell right at him hitting him squarely and plunging him to a wall that broke on the impact. She gasped and was already running towards him while Chrom got out, but he took a lot of damage he was barely holding himself up using the Falchion. She saw his hurt shoulder shaking and knew he could no longer use it, she needs to end this now. Just then she turned again to that man to notice him readying another spell to throw at them. But just in time, a thoron from _him_  intercepted it and she was able to reach Chrom and help him up.

They all looked at each other and silently nodded knowing well enough they needed to end this now. She with Chrom ran straight at him readying their swords and parrying with him while  _he_  took a step back and started preparing a strong thoron spell. She could taste the electricity in the air as she aimed for his open abdomen and Chrom took the opportunity to disarm his tome. She slashed him but not enough to kill him, but he had weakened enough, and she gave a gesture to Chrom who simultaneously as she moved back thus making space for him to aim the spell. He threw it squarely aiming for his chest and the man took the hit directly. He fell finally and she felt a relief flood in her as he screamed in agony as he kneeled over. ' _Finally, it's over'._  It was not,

That man was stubborn in his death he still screamed about fate and with his dying breath threw one last dark spell aiming for Chrom she moved without thinking she just moved purely driving with the need to save him. She pushed him out of the way and took the hit directly. Her throat burns as she screams the heat burning her skin and the curse piercing her skin like needles everywhere. She blacked out from the pain only to return when she felt someone picking her up. She opened her eyes tiredly and saw Chrom picking her up holding her and telling her how it was finally over, and she smiled tiredly glad and thinking about how she just wants to return home to  _them_.

But she suddenly felt a heat in her palm on her mark, and her eyes were burning, and she saw red and yellow lines in her vision as Chrom helped her she tried to say something, but her voice felt stuck in her throat. She felt  _him_  approaching them worriedly asking her if she was fine, but the heat increased, and she could no longer think anything. She felt her heart race as a fear filled her stomach. She wanted to scream at them to run, why she didn't know but they needed to get away from her now. But her throat refused, and she felt like carving it out.

" _ **Foolish girl. I win after all."**_ She heard that voice, that so familiar haunting voice in her heard and felt herself shudder and the familiar taste of electricity in the air. They both were saying something, but she couldn't hear. She felt the power of thoron on her palm and suddenly without her command, her hand moved striking that deadly spell in Chrom's heart. And she felt her own heart stop.  _He_  screamed as _he_ pushed her away from Chrom and she looked down to her hand and then to Chrom as he staggered backwards looking shocked but then donning that familiar forgiving eyes. He clutched his chest as he told  _them_  his last words.

"It's not your fault," He kneeled over "Please promise me you will get out of this place." He then looked over at  _him_ , "Please promise me you will protect her." And then he fell, and she felt her heart tearing as a scream ringed in her ears but what came out of her mouth was different,

"HAHAHAHA!" Laughter, very horrible laughter ranged out as her voice echoed the dead halls.  _He_  stared at her shocked but a pity in  _his_  eyes and she was screaming for  _him_  to run to please run, for  _him_  to at least get out of here. She can't she can't see  _him_  die too. Her voice still laughed but  _he_ still read her thoughts as he hurriedly took the Falchion and took a step back. She felt her body moved forward, the familiar feeling of thoron coming, and she screamed at herself and forced herself to stop it, using everything she had left. And she felt it her body stopping, the spell was still building and she screamed but her voice ran silently. But  _he_  understood and _he_  threw a spell at her and ran away from her, the monster she had become, but she heard the last of his whispers.

"I am sorry Robin."

" _I am sorry Rufure, Chrom, everyone. I failed."_

* * *

 She opened her eyes and stared at the usual dark ceiling. She was used to nightmares they no longer startled her but this one made her heart race and her palms clutch tightly and she got up with tension in her body and her stomach curling in disgust. She could feel her throat burning and the hand, the one that stabbed him too. She brought her right hand up and stared her palm and then at her mark and she had the sudden urge, a very strong urge to claw that mark away to cut her arm off and throw it away. She felt the scream still lodged in her throat and It made it hard for her to breathe. She opened her mouth and took deep breathe is and urge herself to calm down. It was just a dream, a very bad dream but just a dream.

And as he body and heart finally relaxed, she gained her thought process back. The dream was crazy and insane, killing Validar was normal she always dreamed of killing him. But this time it was different she had others there, a man she can't remember anymore and another with the hair of Ylisse prince. It filled her with disbelief how of all people she could stand in the Ylissean side, that was wrong. And then something had happened, she couldn't remember but it hurt a lot as if she lost someone very important, like she lost  _him_ all over again. And that was wrong, no one will ever take his place. That felt wrong to give someone same importance as him. She threw her covers away and got up as she went to her bathroom splashing cold water on her face, she tried to get it out of her head. 'It was just a dream.'

She looked up in the mirror and her dead brown eyes stared back at her. Her pale face and pale white hair made her look like a ghost and yet some idiots around the castle called her beautiful. She bitterly laughed at that, what they saw in her dead face and body was beyond her. She stepped away and continued with her morning rituals. As she got ready and wore her coat, a black one with purple symbols of Grimileal. She hated the symbolism of the coat, but she could never ever change it or throw it away. She would rather be misunderstood for a Grimileal then part away with the coat. She let her hands linger slightly more on the coat and reminisced on those days long gone.

Her thoughts got broke through as a servant knocked on her door. She sighed and let him in, and he informed her that their King Gangrel has summoned her right now. She sighed, she didn't want to see that thief right now, her morning was bad enough already. But when the servant whimpered scared, she took pity on him and decided to go. She knew Gangrel would remove his angry on the servant for not bring her and she wouldn't stand that. Sighing tiredly, again, she dismissed the servant who left bowing in relief and she took her trusty Arcthunder tome and left her room.

Walking down the hallway she tiredly wondered why he had called her so early in the morning. He was aware she was not a morning person and hated being called upon in the mornings, that was why no servant even come to wake her up or call her to breakfast. So, if he did it must be that important. She suddenly stopped, 'It can't be, but if he did then.' She started walking again now more tired.

"It is going to be long bloody months. I am sorry Rufure." She whispered to the death.

* * *

Rufure jolted up heaving hard and clutching his chest tightly. He looked at his right hand to see nothing there, but he could swear he could still feel the clinking of thunder in his palm, he then turned it around and stared at his mark. He got a sudden urge to just carve it out it looked very disgusting to him right now. But before he could dwell on it his door opened wide and in came his little sister, Lissa. And he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Rufure wake up! Breakfast is ready." She announced happily as she sprung down on his bed and stared at him with wide eyes and smile full on happiness. He tiredly smiled back glad for her enthusiasm and cheerfulness this morning it was just what he needed right now. She noticed the sweat on his forehead and his hunched brows. Her smile turned to a worried frown.

"Are you ok?" She asked. He took a deep breath in and then patted her head.

"I am fine Lissa. Sorry, just a bad dream." He finally said his voice sounding slightly horse.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked still worried. He must be looking bad.

"No Lis it's ok I am fine now. And well I think I forgot it."

"I see well if that's the case that's good." She smiled and then suddenly brightened up. "You know the best thing you need right now is your favourite breakfast which I heard that the chefs have made today. Get cleaned up Rufure and then we will meet up with Chrom and Emm in the dining room." She smiled wide bouncing slightly and he chuckled.

"Yes, that would be good. I'll be ready in a minute." She nodded and hurriedly left his room to give him space. He got up and started his morning ritual while trying to remember his dream. He could not remember major of it but he remembered someone, someone close to him had stabbed Chrom and killed him and he remembered how much that hurt him like he wanted to scream at himself. He hated seeing Chrom die even if it was just in a dream and that to killed by someone, he seemed to hold dear was painful.

He sighed and repeated to himself that it was just a dream and Chrom was well and alive and probably waiting for him so that they can start on their breakfast today. And the dream was wrong Chrom would never hurt his shoulder so bad and be so slow. He could have definitely dodged that shot. His brother and best friend was stronger than that. And that no one, not even one of his dear ones would ever even dream of killing Chrom that is just impossible. Yes, it was just a dream after all.

Feeling more better he finished up and looked at himself in the mirror. Just like all days his white hair and slanted brown eyes stared back at him so different from his siblings so unique to someone born in Ylisse. A dark coat with purple incarnates was as usual on him underneath a plain pant and shirt. The coat held symbols from a different religion, a religion no on preached in Ylisse. He sighed as he remembered seeing the same coat on that person in his dream. He shook his head this weird dream even though it felt real it was just not possible. It must be due to the whole tension from Pelgia recently that is causing him to conjure these things up.

He walked out of his room only to notice Lissa no longer there and shook his head smiling fondly. She must have gotten bored from waiting and gone to the dining room already. Well, it didn't matter he was capable of going there on his own. As he walked the maids, butlers and soldiers in the castle doing their work greeted him and he greeted them back.

"Is that Lord Rufure? Oh, my what is he wearing!?" A maid exclaimed in a hushed whisper, but he heard her perfectly well. 'She must be new' he thought. The one beside her shushed her,

"You idiot think before you speak. Lord Rufure has right to wear what he wants to wear. Don't you dare comment on it again." She scolded her and the girl shrunk away and he silently sweats dropped he didn't care about those kinds of things anymore but well he could understand why his palace staff was so scared of it. Well, his siblings had set quite an example that stayed even after so many years.

He smiled and walked in the dining room and greeted Emm and Chrom and they turned and greeted his back smiling.

As he looked at Chrom laughing and talking he felt a relief flood in him. It was a weird dream, but he was still glad, very glad to see him alive.

'Dreams rarely come true I should forget about it. It won't ever come true.' He thought.

* * *

_**But, oh, they had no idea what fate had stored in for them.** _


	2. Meetings and Premonitions(part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rufure and the others head to a mission only to have a fateful meeting.

**_Meetings and Premonitions_ **

Emm put down her cutlery and looked at them with a gleam. He knew that look it meant she as their Exalt had a mission for them. He put his down and Chrom followed and gave her his attention,

"Chrom, Rufure I have gotten reports of some unruly behaviour in the south near South town. I want both of you to check it out and quell it there," She said, "Philia has already given all the details to Frederick."

"Understood." Both echoed and Lissa chuckled at their eagerness and then put her hand up.

"I want to go too." She excitedly told and just as quickly Chrom rejected it. She pouted,

"Why!? Why can't I come too? I am full-fledged shepherd now right!? And it's just a patrol mission I can accompany." She flapped her hands around as she glared at her brothers. Emmeryn wisely remained silent leaving it to her brothers to make the decision as they were the leaders now. Rufure sighed and silently thought, one side he didn't want to take Lissa with him but on another side it didn't sound dangerous at all and if a fight were to break out there were four of them so they shall be able to quell it with not much difficulty, unless something unexpected happened but it should be still mostly fine. And, well Lissa does need the field experience. She is the only other healer they have it would be quite helpful to have her on the field.

"I think we can take her." He voiced his opinion. Lissa smiled wide at him while Chrom glared at him in betrayal. He smiled wryly as he could understand where Chrom was coming from but well Lissa was no longer a kid who needs their protection always. He felt slightly sad thinking about that, but he knew to teach her about the field would help her in the future. He turned to Emm to get her opinion,

"I have trust in your decision and abilities." Was her answer meaning she was neutral and letting Chrom decide. They all stared at him now and he stared back while Lissa tried to give all kinds of puppy dog looks she could muster to convince her brother. He sighed,

"Fine she can come but," He sternly looked at her. "You will closely follow all of us, never go off on your own and will follow all the orders we will give you got it?" He ordered her and she nodded eagerly,

"Yes! Yes, I will be good, promise." She was bouncing in her seat in happiness and all of them chuckled seeing her excitement.

"Come on off you go Lissa prepare for the journey." Emm dismissed her and the girl ran happily screaming about how she was going to tell everyone else. They all smiled and then slowly their faces grew serious. Emm spoke first,

"I guess you both have understood already but the unruly behaviour seems to be from some bandits the pegasus knights have reported to have a pelgian accent."

"Now they are attacking us like this that Mad king he will stoop to any level to start a war," Chrom grumbled his fingers curling tightly in his knuckles, feeling anger flush in him. Emm sighed and Rufure looked away,

"Chrom we can't afford a war." He informed him the same truth they all kept repeating again and again like a broken record. As Chrom scoffed Rufure could feel the same irritation, they knew it, they knew it very well, but the man was persistent and it was getting on their nerves, just not their everyone was getting restless but trying hard to not let it show. Emmeryn smiled sadly as she silently thanked them for their patience for keeping their growing anger in check.

"I wish you both luck and look after each other." They both nodded and took their cue to leave. She herself called in Philia and started her duties for the day all while silently praying to Naga to keep her siblings safe on their travels.

Rufure and Chrom then met up with their diligent Knight Fredrick and got all the details for the march for him from where they went to his tactics room to discuss their route, formation and scenarios for any possible situation. After completing their plan Rufure stayed behind to make all records and write up a different plan for all his duties he will be leaving in the hands of Philia to do for a few days. Chrom and Frederick went to the Shepherds barrack and called up on all the shepherds to inform them of their march plan and give them their training regime and duties for the next few days.

"We shall be heading towards the border through South town for inspection and patrol. It will be me, Rufure, Frederick and Lissa. Everyone else will remain here and follow the orders Frederick is going to give everyone now." He informed them and everyone save Maribelle nodded.

"What!? Lissa dear you shall be deployed on a march." She looked horrified at that prospect and everyone in the room sighed as they knew exactly what was going to come, the princess though smiled widely and proudly as she nodded her head at her best friend whose grimace just increased,

"But you are still so young and just started working as a clerk. It's too much for you." She stressed out as she looked at her in a mix of worry and hurt. Lissa pouted though slight getting irritated she expected more support from her best friend. But apparently, even she thought she was still incompetent. That didn't sit right with her at all she was already turning 16 this year and yet she had no achievements whatsoever compared to Chrom, Rufure and Emmeryn, she was doing nothing. She was the second princess and she was not living up to her position, it was not like she hated being spoiled but there was a limit between it being endearing and downright smothering. She was not going to be some dainty flower who stayed safely in the castle while some prince saved her. No, she was Lissa princess of Ylisse, daughter of Naga, she was going to be just a great royalty as her predecessors and her siblings were. As her frown deepened, she sighed trying to not get angry with her she knew Maribelle was just worried for her safety and was saying such things.

"I will be just fine. I may not be a full-fledged clerk, but I can handle basic healing just fine. And as for my safety Chrom, Rufure and Frederick will be there, can there be any better bodyguards than them?" She smiled wide trying to look confident. Even she was quite nervous, but she was going to start taking her own steps from now. Maribelle's frown didn't cease but as she stared right at her she could see her determination to go on this mission, so she sighed and let her go.

"Understood but my dear please understand field is nothing like training you need to be prepared for everything, even running away." She gravely told her and Lissa understood her meaning quite clearly and nodded she knew the risks in the field even though it sounded quite easy no one can predict if nothing unexpected will happen. She nodded back her eyes lighting with a fire and all Maribelle could do was pray to Naga that nothing shall happen.

Frederick then proceeded to explain all their duties and orders for the next few days while adding individually what he wanted to them work on for their practice. Chrom made his rounds to make sure all his men perfectly understood their assignments and take their good- wishes while giving few choices of words to each when he stopped at Maribelle, he promised her he will take care of Lissa and keep her out of harm's way.

"It's just not her my Lord I am also worried about all of you. I know you can handle yourselves, but I still worry." She smiled slightly and he nodded at her letting her know they all will be careful and look after each other. Then he went to Sumia who was fidgeting, he smiled carefully at her usual nervousness he still could not understand why the girl was so cautious of him. He asked her if she understood her duties and she confidently told she did and then apologised like usual. He half smiled and then said,

"Sumia I know you are working hard but don't push yourself hard and like always I will look out and ask around if there is any Pegasi, we can borrow for you." She blushed and ducked her head as she flushed,

"Thank you, Lord Chrom I will work hard on my skills and try to not fall on my face."

"Don't worry much about being clumsy we all find it endearing, it's a part of you." Her blush just increased.

"Thank you!" She bends but her knew wobbled and she feels, again. She blushed fervently as she berated herself for not being able to bend down to show her gratitude properly. Chrom didn't get angry like he said it was just a part of her. He chuckled slightly as he helped her up and she thanked him again while apologising again. He just shook his head and left wishing her goodbye.

Sumia sighed as she looked at his back. When will she be able to stand beside him and be able to do something for him instead of just falling on her face and have him pity her? She turned around being filled with determination pumping herself to complete all the tasks Frederick had given her before he left and double her practices. She was not going to let down her commander.

Lissa was heading to the healer's room to pick up their healing supplies when she bumped into Ricken. He with his ever-present Elwind tome looked surprised as they bumped shoulders and then immediately apologised to her. She chuckled and shrugged it off saying it was both of their faults. As an awkward silence fell, she didn't know what to say to him now. It had become like this recently even though they were good friends before nowadays they have been talking less and less and she didn't like that, but she didn't want to push him away by being imposing so she kept her distance.

"Hey, I heard about it, good luck on the expedition." He said smiling slightly. It seemed his usual self but something about it felt wrong she wondered why.

"Yup thanks."

An awkward silence formed, and they shuffled their feet wondering what to say next.

"Be careful ok?" He said a beat later and she smiled, slightly happy.

"Hehe, I know I will."

"Always be on your guard," He said and she enthusiastically nodded.

"And don't pull Chrom down." He said finally and she felt a frown coming. It slightly stung hearing him say it like that, she knew he didn't mean it in a bad way, but she hated whenever people made it seem like she was a dead weight to her siblings.

"I am going to be the one patch him up when he does something stupid again." She pouted as she retorted back trying to not the let his words get too much to her.

"I didn't mean it like that Lissa," he frowned "I just don't want you getting in the heat of the battle." He said finally and sighed. She felt a bit bad now for snapping at him. He was just worried about her.

"Don't worry I will be on the back lines and leave the fighting to them. I will just heal them up."

He smiled and she felt a bit better now. Ricken was still the same may be the school and all had just put a distance between them well now that she had completed her studies and officially become a shepherd, she can spend more time with him and be best friends just like they were before.

"Well, I got to go now. Best of luck Lissa and stay safe ok?" He said finally and stepped around her and she waved goodbye as he left. She went her way to complete all her packing and be ready for her first task. She took her bags and headed to their meeting spot. Just in time to see Rufure saying his last goodbyes to everyone and loading his bags in the saddle of Frederick's horse, she was the only horse they were taking this time since it was a normal inspection trip and it was not that far. She went and put her bags too and started telling her goodbyes to everyone. Frederick was already there stoic and ready. Chrom came at last with Emmeryn and she smiled wide as her sister and nodded as she reminded her again to be careful. They said their last goodbyes to Emmeryn and headed out.

They had been talking about the most mundane topics while they walked to the border, just to keep some noise going as they walked on the long-winded path. The walk to the pass was not much for them since they all were now used to long marches but Lissa had started lagging as they neared south town, Rufure knew she was going to tire herself out at this pace, so he motioned to Frederick as he nodded and then called out to her,

"Milady you seem tired you can get on her for a bit she will carry you." The girl seemed a little reluctant, but he glared at her silently saying her to stop being stubborn. They were only halfway there, and she doesn't need to exert herself like this. She pouts and accepts as Frederick helps her get on the horse. They started again and this time he and Chrom walked a bit front as Lissa and Frederick stayed in the back talking amongst each other.

"Lissa is coming out quite nicely for her first march." He commented off handily and Chrom just nodded and he scoffed gods this stupid brother of his.

"You don't need to be this tense. no one is going to suddenly spring upon us."

Chrom sighed, "I know but I can't help worry. The brigands have been getting bolder and this border is quite close to the Pelgian slums. We don't know what might happen and," He let it go but Rufure understood perfectly well what he wanted to say. Though the inspections were not that hard sometimes they did get ambushed and well they had handled it well until now and got out with minor injuries, but it was still not good. The bandits had good formation, good idea where to attack from and how to attack. As a taction, he could feel it in his nerves that whoever was giving them deployment orders was not a fool but a quite skilled taction just like him. They could still handle them but right now they had Lissa with them and well they knew she was trained to but as her brothers, they couldn't help worrying for her safety.

Right now, her safety was everything to them. But he can't let Chrom be all on alert the whole time he will exhaust himself even before they reach the border.

"Chrom it will be fine. I and Frederick have both been keeping a good eye and the ambushes have been increasing but it's not something we can't handle and Lissa is good at handling herself, you know that."

Sighing again Chrom felt defeated and smiled tiredly at him and finally relaxing a bit, "yes you are right. I should give her more credit and believe in all of us."

Rufure nodded smiling at him and they let the silence fall as they continued walking. When they neared south town, Frederick stopped them and asked if they wanted to visit or continue. Chrom turned to him and he put a hand on his chin thinking a bit. Well resting a bit did sound good but if they continued and ended the problem today, they could go back home tomorrow and thus return on far earlier time than expected. Since the start of the mission, he had been feeling a bit impatient. His instincts have been loud since the start and he couldn't determine why maybe it was because of Lissa but still, he felt impatient. Even though as a taction he should remain calm and rational he knew well the importance of listening to your instincts so without thinking twice he decided to make haste.

"We should continue. It's not too far and we can make on good time." He said and they all agreed, resuming their walk.

As the evening came around, they reached the border in time. They made way to the guards and immediately set out to work. Checking all their records talking around the guards and get a thorough report. It seems a few Brigands did attack them a few days back, but they had come from Ylisse's side, so they didn't kill them and captured them. The interrogation only revealed they were sent a letter containing all the information and how to attack them and what to do. They had no idea who sent it or why. The money also was sent anonymously. The letter the captain had been able to secure and when he got a look at it, he was shocked. The details on the plan of attack were too good and too detailed as if they could see exactly how the battle was going to go out. His suspicions held true now, Pelgia had a very skilled taction who was making all the plans and helping them do so much damage with just some handful of Brigands. He frowned and hated himself for feeling excited at the thought of this tactician, he was such a brat at times. He couldn't act like it was a competition this time, this was serious business, this man could easily annihilate them on the battlefield. He will need to prepare for him and use all his wits to make sure he does good on his title as the tactician. He won't let anyone die on his watch.

He read the instructions again to analyse on how the tactician worked and thought, that's when his eyes widened slightly as he noticed this person had not explicitly stated it but the orders made it this way that they were would be no causalities and only injured, that made him silently wonder if this man was not fond of bloodshed or was this ruse so that the mad king could pretend that he had no relation to this? He didn't know and that frustrated him,

He frowned as he handed Frederick the letter to take back and then swallowed his frustrations and fears to deal with the current problems. He stayed the rest day and made new battle plans for their troops changed around their whole duty list and guard list changed their training timings and worked around their roster. He also instructed the captain on how to deal with future threats and stayed almost the whole night to imagine up all kinds of battle simulations and made plans for them. The next morning Chrom frowned slightly worried as he stared at his tired eyes and haggard look. He ignored him and gave his last instructions to the captain. Chrom then stepped and informed them on how to deliver the prisoners to the city and gave them their motivation speech and in the end, Lissa was trying hard to hide her smirk. They saluted them as they left and Rufure hoped his preparations were enough.

* * *

She was panting as she ran in the dimly lighted hallways. She turned the page as she panted and silently chanted the spell, turning back she threw a thunder spell on the right pillar effectively destroying it and throwing the rubble down to cut off her pursuers. She took a sharp right and then hid behind a big pillar kneeling she tried to control her breathing. ' _Aversa! She finally showed her true colours she immediately turned Gangrel against me as soon as they got the war they wanted. That bitch! I am going to kill her and that thief!'_ She dug her nails in her palm to control her raging anger. Now was not the time, now she needs to stay calm and find a way to get out of the palace, to get out of Pelgia. If she stays, she will be killed by Aversa's minions. Till she can get some allies she needs to stay low and stay away. She can't die here, not by the hands of these fools. She still has things to do, to fulfil a wish, to fulfil  _his_  wish. Until then she can't die. With renewed determination, she got up and ran knowing exactly what she needs to do.

She ran all the way right, straight to her room while keeping an eye on them. Five secs, she had five secs before they catch up to her. She hurriedly pulled out the secret hole in her bath and put in the small piece of paper, _he_ will find it and then ran back to her room and pulled out an ancient tome from her study table and opened it, just in time for them to enter. As they came to a stop they smirked, thinking confidently they had cornered her, fools. She smirked silently as she started chanting as they slowed made way to her obviously trying to have some fun before they must do their job. Arrogant, disgusting cretins thinking they could do anything to her. Very sick but advantageous as she could gain more time to chant her spell.

She felt the energy burst in her veins as a man neared ready to push her down. She closed her eyes, saying the final word and imagined a place far away from Pelgia. And then she felt the sensation of falling, the smell of ozone filled her nose and bland taste of pure air lodged in her mouth. She felt a thud and the hard ground beneath her as she landed. She panted as she felt her heart race and her body sagging with drainage of her energy. She put a hand down on the soft grass to stabilize herself and gain a bearing of where she was, where she had been teleported. Slowly looking around, she was in a lush open area filled with green looking grass, and tress a bit far away. The air tasted pure and smelled sweet with fresh grass smell and she felt herself relax. It felt so peaceful as the windblown, she was not in Pelgia she had no idea where she was but defiantly not in Pelgia and that made all her nerves relax. As her heartbeat slowed, she felt her body falling backwards, she could no longer hold herself up. She looked up to see the stars shining bright, beautiful and she remembered something very warm and yet painful.

' _Look! Look Rufure the stars! The stars look so beautiful' 7 years old her jumped excitedly as she hurriedly laid down while pointing out the vast clear sky to her precious brother. He chuckled lightly,_

' _Robin, they look same as yesterday' He commented back as he lay down beside her and giggled as she pouted irritated at him. A warm hand came and patted their hair as she pulled them to her warm lamp,_

' _Rufure do no tease your sister.' Their beloved mother lightly scolded the older sibling and he amused, apologised to his young sister. She let her pout fall and went back to looking at her favourite stars as her mother started pointing out all the constellations and she listened eagerly and actively searched for them in the infinite sky._

_She had been very happy._

But now it was all but just a memory. She let a tear fell as she huffed out, "Am I going to die here, somewhere unknown yet so beautiful?" She chuckled slightly, "That doesn't sound that bad actually, I can finally be with mother and Rufure." With that last thought, her eyes slowly closed, and darkness took her.

* * *

They left the border fortress and walked in the direction of south town, he was still quite tired, so he lagged with Frederick while his siblings stayed in the front chatting amicably and he silently chuckled as he saw Lissa pout at something rude Chrom had said. They had so much energy today, he couldn't muster that much at all. He still was a bit glad the trip so far had been uneventful, and his instincts though still acting up didn't come true so far. Maybe he spoke too fast as Lissa suddenly gasped and then ran pointing something to Chrom who ran behind her, he gasped and then followed them knowing well Frederick was just behind him, He came near, and his eyes widen as he noticed a person fallen on the ground. Chrom stopped Lissa from kneeling down a hand on Falchion and stared at the person assessing her.

From the skirt, she was wearing it was a girl her hood was pulled up so he couldn't see her face but the coat around her was well covered in blood and eerily reminded him of the coat he saw his brother always wear. The blood was worrying him, but he couldn't take any chances with this strange person, as it was clear they were from Pelgia. Lissa getting his message stepped back and sighed, she was still worried for this person and wanted to treat her but until Chrom and Rufure mad sure she was not a danger they won't let her near her.

"Chrom do you think she will be fine?"

"I am not sure if she will make it,"

"It can' be!" She gasped shocked, "We have to do something" She pleaded with him as he sighed,

"What do you propose we do?"

She groaned and they both turned to her, eyes fluttered open as she stared at the two of them. Lissa gasped happily glad the girl had not died.

"Ah, you are awake," Chrom said as he smiled slightly, he was wary, but he reasoned she might just be a person who fainted after being attacked or something, he doesn't want to scare her anymore then.

"Are you ok?" Lissa asked her to smile warmly too and the girl just blinked staring at them, looking very confused.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground you know. If you sleep here, you will catch a cold." He joked as he put his hand forward, "Take my hand." He prompted her as he noticed her just staring at it. She gave her gloved hand to him, and he pulled her up slightly hard, and she got up her hood falling and standing quite close to him. He noticed her small blank brown eyes first which were looking at him in surprise. Then she flushed and immediately backed up.

"Thank you um," She said her voice sounding raspy and low and Chrom felt more pity for her, it sounded like she didn't have a glass of water in days.

"Chrom." He answered automatically and she smiled as she bowed down a bit,

"Thank you, Chrom." She said and then straightened up and started taking their appearances in. He almost felt like she was assessing them like Rufure does when they are training. Speaking of Rufure he could feel his and Frederick stare at the back of his head, they were going to make him handle all the talking and he felt a sigh coming. He never understood why all of them thought he was good at diplomatics. He was thinking of how to word it better that he didn't notice her stifling as she took his appearance in.

"Can I ask miss, what you are doing here?" He asked politely and trying to keep his voice friendly and not scare her away. She tried hard to not flinch at that question.

"I-I um I am Robin." She said finally her voice slightly cracking and sounding sacred. And he felt a sweat drop she must have seen their sword and felt they might drag her somewhere depending on her answer.

"Robin why were you laying there?" He asked again ad she felt her throat constrict as she forced her mind to think something, anything to answer that and not have them kill her. She couldn't think of any excuses that would make them pardon her, and even if they do as soon as they take her to the capital, they will know her identity, she can't bluff her way out of this. She could tell the truth and they might not kill her, after all, Emmeryn was a kind and understanding ruler, they might take her as a prisoner and then when she meets with the exalt, she can play her cards right and get them on her side so that she can end this war. Yes, this way she still has a chance of fulfilling his wish.

"I was being pursued and while trying to escape I ended up here," She explained, "And please you may not believe me, but I am not here on any ambush or plot. I know who you are Lord Chrom, first prince of Ylisse." She dropped her eyes and putting a leg behind her, she bent to her waist level, just like she was thought to curtsy to the fellow people of her standing. They didn't appreciate the gesture so well though, as Chrom pushed Lissa behind him and his hand went to his sword, not yet drawn but ready, she knew him and just by his face no commoner or foot soldier would be able to and yet she had so the only explanation was she was in the army and that too a high ranking,

"Who are you?" He asked carefully,

She doesn't look up as she answered, "You might not have heard about me, but I am the first princess of Pelgia."

"I call that load of dung, my lord. Pelgia has no princess." Frederick snapped back, his hold on his lance tightening and she sweated as her hands went cold, she didn't lift her head up. She wondered if she was going to die here after all, if Chrom was anything like his father than he will execute her right at this point and then use her body as a war aggressor but, her hands tightened at her coat she won't let him do that. If she is going to die, she is going to make sure her body won't become another tool of this senseless war. Rufure tightened his hand on his tome as Chrom turned to him and he gave him a meaningful look and he nodded understanding.

"If what you say is true then why were you being pursued?"

She sighed, then straightened slightly as she looked down at the ground to answer, "It is quite a long story if I go in the details, but the summary is that the King Gangrel and his royal advisor wanted me out of their way since they got the war they wanted." He sucked in a deep breath in, that can't be but if what she is saying is true then they need this girl. She sensed what he was thinking as she bent slightly again,

"I will make my stance clear Lord Chrom I didn't come here to attack anyone or start any fight. I do not want to fight if it is not required and honestly, I am in no shape to fight all three of you right now. I am ready to submit myself peacefully and be your prisoner if you will take my word." She looked up, their eyes meeting and he could see the sincerity in them as they burned, though blank, "I swear on myself I am not lying. It is not known I will agree but I am indeed the princess of Pelgia." He sighed, he had a feeling she was saying the truth and she was ready to settle this peacefully and he was ready for that, even he didn't want to hurt someone who already seemed injured. He turned to his brother who had his eyes wide, in caution as he frowned slightly. Rufure felt conflicted, if she was saying true, she was useful, but she had assessed them on one glance, she knew they were a threat even when she had not even once seen his side, she had also immediately eliminated Lissa from potential fighters without even assessing her deeply, she had a good eye. It worried him but his brother stared at him and he sighed if she was going to keep their word then there is no need for needless fighting and Emm wouldn't like if they fought with someone who was already injured. He nodded at him. He could feel Frederick glaring silently at them, but he kept quiet wisely and he sighed at that. This trip had just become more annoying than before.

"Understood Robin we will believe you for now." She straightened, smiling slightly as she looked relieved and he felt glad that she was after all not a threat.

"Thank you." He nodded and then gestured to Frederick who sighed and then went to his mare, pulling out a rope he went to her as she pulled her tome out and threw it to the ground and put her hands up, he tied them and then nudged her as they all got information. Lissa and Chrom stayed in front while Rufure and Frederick walked behind her, in case she did try something. They started walking again and he kept an eye on her assessing her and he felt a lump form as he noticed that coat, he knew others had too and he also noticed the white hair from behind her, he had not seen her face, but he felt a nagging at him. He glanced at the others to see them glancing at her periodically, in worry and shock. Lissa especially seemed worried as she kept glancing between them looking like she had seen a ghost. He did not like that look one bit. He shook his head and assessed her when he frowned slightly, that boot, the way she was walking he had an in liking. But something told him he can trust her for now, so he decided to keep an eye out and yet he felt irritated for an unknown reason. Lissa then halted as she turned to her and frowned worriedly.

"Hey, are you alright?" The girl asked her, and she nodded, her wounds were mostly shallow, it was the exhaustion of casting the spell that caused her to faint.

The girl smiled wide happy, "I am glad." And she felt a bit weird at that statement, she was their enemy, yet she was worried for her. She didn't like that.

"Then how did you faint?" The man in the back asked her, the one she had yet to see. His voice was deep and commanding, not holding the same kindness at the girl and yet was curious and may be wary. She found no harm to answer that.

"I was cornered in my own castle and the only way to escape was by casting this spell."

"What kind of spell?"

"A transportation spell, it's of a high order and can be performed by only skilled users. I learned it when I was quite young and have used it for short distances, but this was the first time using for such a large distance, which drained me and caused me to collapse as soon as I landed here."

"If that is the case why did you come in Ylisse if it was not us but the Brigands you would be dead you know." He said sounding like he considered her a fool and she gritted her teeth,

"I didn't choose to come here I was desperate and just tried to get out of Pelgia as far I can." She answered back a bit of bite in her tone which she was not apologetic for. Sure, it was risky but at that time she had no other choice.

"Now, now that will be enough. Sorry, he is being just on the edge. We never expected this." She just nodded saying nothing, well even she had no idea she was going to meet the prince today. The only time she had thought she will see him was on the battlefield.

"And you might be lying as we never heard Pelgia having a princess." The knight said and she sighed, she had known they were not going to let that go easily,

"Yes, I am not surprised after all not even the citizens of Pelgia know that after all."

"Why?" The fourth man asked again.

"It's quite a long story maybe I can tell it once I am in front of the exalt and council. I do not wish to keep repeating myself." She bargained and Chrom sighed again,

"That quite alright. Any information you will give us is better to do in the castle rather than here where anyone can listen to us." He directed that more to the ones in the back and she felt her heart constricting. Since they meet the girl was worried for her wounds, Chrom had twice scolded his own men for talking rudely to her, and they all have been walking in pace with her to not make her push herself. And then, the knight sighed and then handed Chrom something as he smiled and walked up to her holding a water skin up and she reluctantly drank the water.

They smiled at her and she felt her throat constricting as an unusual silent plea resounded in her mind, 'Don't be kind to me I was going to kill all you because I had to.' She didn't let the plea leave her though, she knew it was going to come one day, her sins will be put out in front of them to judge her but that doesn't have to be today. She didn't want it to be today. She wondered where this reluctance was coming for when she all she is going to do is use them to get her throne back.

"Where are we heading?" She asked herself this time, to distance herself from the swirling thoughts.

"To the Southdown and from there we will head to the capital."

"I see." She nodded if she remembered the map correctly south town was a border town in Ylisse. So, she had landed near the border.

"I think introductions are in order," Chrom then said, "Well I am Chrom as you already know and this delicate one is Lissa, my sister." He said pointing to the girl and she felt her eyes wide, even the second princess was here. The girl frowned at him

"I am not delicate!" She screamed and he just laughed like he was used to that outburst.

"The wary knight is Frederick." He grinned and the Knight just gave him a dry look.

"A title I shall wear with pride."

"And lastly he is our brother and infamous taction, Rufure." She felt her heart stop for two reasons, one the infamous second prince who no one knew even existed was just there and he had the same name as her own brother. She felt a bad feeling well up in her hear and tried to squish it down. 'It is not him! Rufure is dead! It might just be a coincidence he has the same name. Yes! He is a prince of Ylisse it can't be him.' She just nodded feeling her mouth not work as all kinds of memories started showing up in her, she didn't dare to turn around.

"I have every wish to trust you, miss but I, as their knight should maintain a level of caution." The knight said and she nodded,

"I understand sir, if I was in your position, I would have done the same." She said and then Rufure sighed, he was irritated, but he cannot be rude to her she still was someone who ended up in enemy territory while being chased out of her own home but her own men, she has enough as anguish.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, princess. I would love to be hospitable with you, but my station mandates otherwise." He, the prince said – but he was still their taction - and she felt her throat burn,

"It's ok." Was all she said she didn't want to deal with this person who had the same name as her beloved brother. She couldn't be calm in front of anything that reminded her of him. Just then Lissa turned around and then gasped, they all turned to her,

"Chrom look the town." They looked up to see smoke rising from the area and their faces darkened, except hers, remaining blank.

"Those brigands!" Chrom growled out, pulling his sword from the sheath, "Come on you guys we got to stop them."

"Wait, milord, what should we do of her?" Frederick asked,

"Frederick you come with her to the town we three will head over there first and assess the situation." The prince ordered him.

"Understood milord."

They all started running and she saw the back of the man called Rufure, he wore the same coat as her. The coat she always saw in her nightmares running away from her, just like now and she felt her mind-numbing. Frederick pulled his mare and was going to move but she stayed frozen trying hard to make sense of what she saw and her own raging feelings. He touched her shoulder and she flinched looking at him startled. He didn't let his surprise show,

"Let us go miss." He commanded her, more politely than he would since she was still supposedly a princess. She understood his command and decided to shut those thoughts down, she needs to survive right now. She numbly nodded and started running behind him. They reached just in time to see Chrom cutting one of the assailants down and then turning to Rufure saying something. They stopped back of them and she felt growing desperation to turn him around and check what she was already dreading. But she made no move to do so and just stood there, trying hard to catch their words.

"Frederick, I need you up front," Rufure commanded, "They are not like any brigands we encountered so far." He explained and she took his words in and immediately took a step forward and got a clear view of the body on the ground and immediately recognized it feeling a shock run in her system waking her up from her haze.

"They were the ones who were chasing me," She told immediately out as her mind ran on how that was exactly possible. They could have followed her all the way her, she had randomly chosen this place and yet here they were before her and possibly trying to find her in the town thinking she must have taken shelter in there. Which was likely possible if they had not found her, she would have done that. How did they predict she was here?

"What? But you said you randomly came here how did they find you?" Rufure asked her and she bit her lip trying hard to not turn and look at him. She needs to keep her mind clear.

"A tracking spells. Aversa is a well-versed dark mage. She must have used my possessions and done a tracking spell and then using the mages in Covent she transported them here." She said her theory as she dug her nails in her palms, "Those bastards, all of them were in on this." She growled out as she glared hard at one of the men who was breaking the stands and shouting something.

"How good are they?"

"They are experienced fighters but very stupid who only know how to think through their muscles. If you use divert tactics, they won't ever guess what hit them."

"Frederick, I want you in front with Chrom you are covering his blind spots. I will be taking the rear and snip them." He turned to Lissa, "Lissa you and she stay behind and take these," He handed her a tome and a small knife, "If someone slips and comes to attack you cut her binds and hand her the tome until then stay here and hide, got it?"

The girl nodded and she let her blood freeze. Did he want to trust her with the princess? Was he a fool?

"Rather than that, you can use me as bait. They came here to kill me if they see me, they will – " He cut her off,

"We don't use that kind of cheap tactics." He snapped at her and she finally looked at him. It was him, his eyes, his hair everything was him. But it was still not him there was no recognition in his eyes when they meet. He had a slight glare and a frown pulled, the kind of expression he had never given her no matter what she did. She felt her heart stop and her mind shut off. He then took out his tome and started moving but,

"If anything happens to Lissa we will hunt you down." He gave her a final warning as he left, and her heart was breaking. That look he had always given that look to the people who dared to hurt her. Their brother, the second prince of Ylisse. He was no longer the Rufure she knew, she loved. She stared at his silhouette as he threw a spell at one of the men who was coming on Chrom's right side. And then slightly told the man something as he sheepishly laughed in turn. She then looked down at the princess who stared at the ongoing fight with scared and worried eyes.

They now his family. She was now his small sister.

She felt hollow laughter bubbling in her as she felt her heart-numbing.

"Lissa, could you pull my hood up, please?" The girl did as ask and didn't ask anything back. As her face finally covered up, she let a small tear fall.

'What had I been fighting for till now?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Hey, guys here is my next chapter, I hope with this chapter you understand better where this story is heading to and also how exactly the whole dynamics are going to work. I also want to inform you guys the updates for this story will be mostly roughly monthly if you wanna know better you can follow me on my twitter. I wanna give myself enough time to draft the chapters and edit them so I am posting one chapter after I have completed drafting one, so please be patient.
> 
> Important announcement- I have started a lo-fi account, I was hoping anyone who loves my stories would be kind enough to buy me a coffee. It would be really helpful to me and I would be really grateful for it. It is just 3£. Please consider doing it and soon I will also maybe start taking commissions, I am still setting it up. Thank you.
> 
> If you like this chapter please leave kudos, comments and/or bookmark.


	3. Meetings and Premonition (2)

**_Meetings and Premonition (2)_ **

She was quiet, very quiet, she has not uttered a word since they have left South town. It is understandable why she wants to remain quiet, she has been taken a prisoner by them and would not want to say anything to them but still, the silence around her was unsettling. It was very isolating. Lissa had told them she started acting like this after they went to take out those assassins and he wondered if his words had hurt her, he did go a bit far. But he was angry to see his citizens get hurt due to her carelessness and he doesn't trust her enough to leave Lissa alone with her. But still, he accepts he might have come off too harsh to someone who really didn't instigate the attack and maybe, is someone related to him.

When he was brought in Ylisse he was only 7 and had lost all his memories, the only thing he had at that time was the battered coat he was wearing. The coat he still wore, he just couldn't part away from it. The things he could recall since then were his name, his birthday and some other minor things like his favourite colour was purple. Rest were buried in deep and as such the royal family, the previous exalt of Ylisse had taken pity and adopted him. He had known he was from Pelgia, but mostly he had deduced he was an orphan as even after the war he had not found anyone looking for a missing child with his features. So, he had given up on finding his old family and focused on his new family. But now in front of him stood a girl who looked quite a lot like him, and his heart himself was telling him he knew her and yet he had no memories coming back to him. She was someone who could very well be his sister or cousin and that scared him. He had stopped thinking about his family since he had turned 10, from then Emm, Chrom and Lissa were his family. But now that his real family arrived how was he supposed to speak with her or deal with her. And the more glaring matter above it all was that she had introduced herself as the princess of Pelgia, does that mean he was royalty in Pelgia? That brought so many questions in him that he didn't even know where to start.

"It's getting dark and all the bugs are out now. Disgusting, noisy bugs that are buzzing around and will bite-" Lissa started violating coughing out as she made a disgusted face, "Ugh! One went in my mouth! I think I swallowed it." His sister whined as she made a disgusted face and glared at them. Chrom chuckled beside her,

"Come on Lissa. Hardship builds character." He playfully chided her, and she made a face at him.

"I think I have built enough character for one day, thank you." She pointedly replied and he just patted her head and turned to him,

"Well Lissa makes a good point it is getting quite late should we set up camp, Rufure?" He asked him and he nodded back.

"Great Lissa do you want to come with me to get some firewood?" He asked and she immediately rejected him,

"Well I shall go and hunt us something for food," Frederick said as he tied his mare up.

"Well, then I guess I will start clearing the campsite. Lissa, you can help me and uh- Robin you can just wait for us there." He said and she walked away to one corner. It really unnerved him, her silence. Chrom and Frederick left, and they both started working on clear the campsite.

He was glad Lissa had stayed back because if it was just the two of them left, he was sure things would turn awkward fast and then he would blurt out something stupid. Lissa was keeping up the talk mostly by herself while she excitedly told him about something that had happened in the last tea party Maribelle had done for her. He sweats drop as he hears about her indirectly snapping at Lady Denver, well the lady could be quite a handful when she starts talking freely. He was glancing at Robin from the corner of his eye and all she had done in the last 15 mins was shift on her legs. He wanted to ask her so many things, but he did not know how to bring the topic or where to even start. He didn't know how to interact with her.

Luckily Chrom returned and just as they set up a fire, Frederick also returned with a bear and Lissa gave out a disgusted growl and he laughed. They sat down as they started cooking the bear meat and she took a seat beside Lissa but kept a good distance. He then decided he can at least ask her some diplomatic questions,

"So, who is this Aversa and councilmen who are chasing you down?" He asked her as he turned the meat around. A second passes, in silence and he silently flinches -

"Aversa is the King's advisor and the councilmen are the high ranked hierophant of the Grimileal sect." She answers, her voice low and distant, barely a whisper.

"Why are they targeting you?" Chrom asked her curious, 'If she was the princess shouldn't they respect her or something?'.

"Aversa wants the power to control Gangrel and all of Pelgia. I was the only one who could directly oppose her, so I was keeping her in check until now but the council didn't like me too so they must have made a deal and decided to remove me."

"What!? Wait, how can she held the same power as you, a princess?" Lissa asked, surprised. Such a thing would never be permitted in Ylisse. She sighed,

"I had expected at least Ylissean royalty to have knowledge about pelgian politics," she pointedly commented "To become an advisor or a member of the king's council in Pelgia you have to be a part of Grimileal sect, the only exceptions are made for the military men who have gained fame in their field as such they are believed to have blessings of Grima. So, as the advisor, she gains a high standing in the council. Thus, she holds great power not only in the castle but also in the sect, which are the two major powers in Pelgia. And unlike Ylisse, royalty is no longer revered in Pelgia. Therefore, her standing comes to the same rank as me" She explained her voice flat, and he felt slightly ashamed. He had tried to read up on Pelgia's culture and politics, but sadly the last exalt had burned down all the books related to Pelgians and their culture, restoration has begun but the progress is quite slow. He had somehow found some books but he was sure his siblings had not even bothered to read them. They were not the most book person.

Chrom and all flinched feeling ashamed, but she looked away and ignored them. The meta sizzled just the right time and they all immediately turned to start eating. Frederick cut her binds and handed her the cooked meat, the knight hoped she won't raise a fuss like their princess about normal food. She just silently took it and thanked them and started eating it silently. Lissa, on the other hand, didn't even touch it,

"Why can't you catch us something that normal humans eat for once. Who eats bear of all things am I right Robin?" She whined and turned to her find some solace in the fellow girl, but she didn't even look up, she was eating diligently, only focused on her food. They all sweat dropped as Lissa sighed,

"I guess you will eat anything after not eating for days," Robin looked up and shrugged at which Rufure silently laughed.

"Come on Lissa meat is meat, you can eat it." Chrom tried to pacify her.

"When does meat smell like dirty boots! No boots smell better!" She grumbled and he silently sighed.

"Milady every hardship builds character," Frederick commented off handily and the glare now turned to him as she gave him look.

"Oh really!? Then why don't I see you eating it?" She asked pointedly and he looked away,

"Uh- I am not hungry, yes I had a very big lunch." He pitifully reasoned and she just gave him a dry look.

"Yeah right."

The three royalty just kept eating and ignored the batters of two of them. He and Chrom were used to eating bear meat now and they both loved it too, it had a very unique flavour that you won't find in any other kind of meat. Right now, it was not cooked best he would give them that, but it was still quite good. He really needs to make Lissa start eating game meat if she will come on their deployments every time. This time though he was going let it go, he got up and went to his bags and pulled out some small marshmallows and potatoes he had brought with himself as he knew this was going to happen. He can't have his sister starving and collapsing on him. He handed it to Frederick and there booth's faces lit up, but he gave them a stern look.

"Next time it will be only bear meat and you will eat that, understood?" He warned them and they both nodded, a bit too ethnically. He sighed as he went back to his seat and hoped they would keep their promise for their own wellness. As he sat down again Chrom gave him a teasing look and he sighed again, he was not spoiling them. They ate the rest of the meal is moderate silence with only Lissa talking chattering about some mundane topics with their one-word answers, all of them had quite on their minds.

They finished and started getting ready for sleeping, they first decided who would take the first watch and then took out the bedrolls and spread out. Her hands were tied again, and she slept beside Lissa on her side, with no fuss. Robin sighed slightly as she tried to get comfortable on the slightly hard bedroll and her tied hands were rubbing against the rope and irritating her. She gritted her teeth silently as she felt frustration fill her. She didn't want to be here anymore, she didn't even feel like being saved anymore. And yet here she was trying hard to sleep a bit, so she doesn't collapse tomorrow. The irony was stupid and she wanted to scream at someone, hopefully, Rufure.

She felt bitterness in her throat as she saw all of them going silent and the first watch taking his seat near them. She stilled as she kept eye on Chrom who just put his sword beside him and let out a silent sigh as he gave a glance to their surroundings and then turned to look at them, she immediately shut her eyes and hoped he didn't notice her awake. He went still and she decided it was clear and opened her eyes again, and her eyes widen as she shut her mouth forcefully to not scream and wake everyone up. Chrom gave her a lopsided grin as he put a hand out to her, and she sighed as she wiggled and tried to sit up again. He pulled her up by her arm and set her down beside him as she frowned.

"Can't sleep?" He joked, and she gave him the side eye.

"I think it would be weird if I could sleep in this situation, I have been tied up and taken as a prisoner by my enemies." She dryly commented.

He sighed, "Well normally I would hate treating you like this too but we need to be cautious." He looked ahead frowning slightly and she felt her heart stabbing again, they were different from what she thought they would be towards her, what she wanted them to be. And she didn't know if that was a bad thing or a good thing.

Her heart was feeling restless with all kinds of feelings whirling around and all kinds of questions desperately screaming to be answered in her mind. But she had not voiced them out the whole day, silent walking to try to calm herself down and make sense and calmly deal with this situation just as she had been thought. And she was exhausted, very exhausted with everything that had happened in the last 36 hours, mentally and physically drained. But she was trying hard to not show it, trying hard to be strong, to show she was strong. She stared at Chrom and wondered if he would answer her. He didn't have any obligation to do it, but she needs to know, she really needs to know. She decided to go for it, even if he won't answer he probably won't ask any questions. Gathering her last bit of courage, she went for it.

"Chrom If I may ask," She asks and he just nods, "Who is the second prince?" She finally asked, her voice was more stable and calmer than she was feeling but that was good, if she was wrong, he won't catch on anything. Still, her heart thundered in her chest as she felt her fingers going numb and, she waited with a baited breathe for his answer. He flinched slightly and turned to her staring with an unreadable expression. She didn't look away and as he stared in her eyes, she wondered what was he trying to find, honesty or betrayal? Whatever it was he let it drop and turned back to staring at the forest.

He silently took a deep breathe in, as he wondered how he was supposed to answer that question, if their suspicions - that was nagging in the back of everyone's head - was right then, he needs to know the truth right now but at the same time, he was worried. If the implications were right then this woman, they have done too many wrong things to this woman and he just didn't know if he could face them right now. Though it was already quite obvious, the thought of facing the truth this woman carried, didn't make him eager to share their stories. Yet, his inner thoughts reminded him quite sternly, she had the right to know, out of all people she did have the right to now.

"In what sense do you mean?" Yet he was a coward, he shot it back to her, trying to delay the inevitable. She bit her lip, feeling annoyed, she was aware of what he was doing.

"Is he Pelgian?" She asked, forward and running out of patience. He was not surprised he noticed his delaying.

He gulped, "Yes, by birth we think he is Pelgian. But he has lived in Ylisse from a young age and is officially adopted in the royal family." He supplied her the much-needed information while trying to hide the fact that Rufure was not always with them, she catches in on though.

She felt her bitterness and anger rising again, he had let himself adopt in the Ylisse, the royal family of all people. She wanted to wake him up and scream but she refrained from doing so, only her discipline to remain calm in every situation was holding her back. She dug her nails in her palm as she worded a question mentally to make him answer what she wanted to know the most, ' _Why did Rufure leave me?'_ She knew she was supposed to ask Rufure this, corner and confront him but she didn't have the courage to do that. If she heard him saying he hated her or despised her from his own mouth then she won't be able to handle it, she just can't. He was the only one she can't stand the thought of being hated from. And her treacherous heart still wanted to believe that there was an optimistic reason on why this man who looks and acts exactly like Rufure is a Ylissean prince. Her rational mind scoffed at her expectations, sounding quite like her father, but even if the chances were low, she wanted to hope.

(She had lost her ability to hope long ago, though.)

"You 'think'?" She prodded, not letting him get away. He scowled on the inside, 'shit,' his tongue slipped.

"He was not born here." That was all he said to her, he was being annoyingly stubborn.

She can also be quite stubborn when she wants, "And yet he was brought in House of Ylisse and was adopted, that is quite a wild story."

"You are not going to let this go, are you?" He finally decided to stop running around, he can clearly see she was going to be stubborn about this no matter how he evaded it.

"Yes, I won't, and I am sure even you have already guessed why." Yes, he had long ago, it was going to him, after all, to give her the news. He wondered how she was going to take it, he desperately hoped she won't hate Rufure at least.

"Robin, what exactly do you wish to know about Rufure?" He turned to her staring at her and she frowned, feeling her lips move before she could even think,

"Why is he here, why has he been here for so many years?"

"He has amnesia, he has lost all his memories except his name, long ago and since then he was adopted in our family. We always assumed he was an orphan with no intermediate family." He finally told the truth and her heart stopped. He saw her eyes widening and her mouth falling as her face grew pale. She had frozen and then her eyes started watering and he felt panic come over him. He had never been good with crying women. She immediately turned away as her tears started falling and he felt guilt start piercing him. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to say her so many things, but he knew he didn't have the right to.

"I am sorry." That was all he could say, she didn't say anything instead she turned away and started taking her sleeping place again, wanting to be away from him, from them all. She just couldn't believe what she had just heard. Rufure had lost all his memories, he forgot everything, about her, about mother, about his dream. She hated this, she hated it so much and yet she couldn't do anything. And yet in the pain of being forgotten her heart burst in happiness, after all, this man was Rufure, it was definitely him.

Rufure was alive. He had lost all his memories, but he was alive. Her brother was alive. A miracle she never believed would ever happen had occurred. She remembered when she was young, in the days where her grief was still prominent, she had everyday wished, desperately, that it was all a lie and he was at least alive somewhere. When she had  _grown up,_ she had discarded all these foolish wishes and accepted the reality, that her loved ones were never going to come back. And yet he had. He was sleeping there beside her just like all those years ago.

It hurt, the pain of being forgotten was really biting and yet the happiness of him being alive overpowered everything. She pushed her tied hands on her mouth to silence her cries. The tears were of both happiness and pain. And she didn't feel one ounce of shame that Chrom could hear her.

Chrom put his one knee up and dug his nails in his palm tightly, as he heard her cries feeling the guilt screaming at him. He hoped one day she would forgive him, forgive them.

Neither had noticed Rufure was awake the whole time and had heard everything. His eyes went blank as he heard her cries, he was not sure how he was supposed to feel right now, but the guilt that was stabbing him told him that this was something he was supposed to hear. But, he decided that right now was not a good time to confront Robin and hear her side of truth from.

Hours had passed and Robin had quieted down and was drifting off to sleep, Rufure had decided to take a nap too since later it was his turn to be on watch, he can think about everything at that time. Chrom stretched as he gave the timely scan of their surroundings to check for any movements. He couldn't see any movements, but the forest had quieted down quite much, and he felt a bad feeling coming into him. With sharp eyes he looked deep into the woods again as he put a hand on Falchion and pulled it near him, there was nothing, no sound, no movements, no wind. It was like the forest had stilled and that brought an unsettling feeling in him. He silently got up, he needs to check the area out but Lissa heard the clank of his armour and got up looking at him questioningly.

"What's wrong, Chrom?" Lissa asked him while yawning.

"Sorry Lissa I didn't mean to wake you up but…something is amiss." He explained to her and she tilted her head.

"Define 'something'?"

"I am not sure." He shook his head, "But I think I will take a look around."

"Not alone." She chided him as she pulled out her staff, "I am coming with you." She put her foot down and he knew she won't be taking no for a smasher. He just smiled and started walking in the general direction of a big clearing he had seen before, while collecting woods.

As they walked their footsteps resounded in the surrounding area and he felt his instincts jump around as they walked, the silence grew around them, it was like there was not even one animal in the whole surrounding area of them. Lissa clutched her staff tightly as she looked around,

"It is dark and quiet. Where did all the birds go?" She asked particularly no one, she felt unnerved by this all. She didn't like it one bit.

"Something is wrong here…" he muttered, silently wondering if he should go back and wake others up and have them move away from here, it would be sudden, but he had a very bad feeling of this. He was going to propose it, turning to Lissa but - it happened. It was first a small tremor they both felt, stilling they looked around and then the earth started rumbling and they both stumbled, Lissa almost fell over and she shouted for him as she lost her balance,

"Ah Chrom," He immediately ducked and caught her. He stabled both of them and then the earth started shaking violently and they both looked away panic filling in them as they tried to make sense of what was suddenly happening.

"Gods, what is this madness? Lissa stay close to me." He instructed her as he turned, ready to head back to their camp. She whimpered as she stood more firmly now and they started walking when he heard something cracking and looked being him. A few paces away the ground was cracking, a crevice was forming and trees were falling over from the tremors. His eyes widened and he knew they need to run, now.

"Lissa run," he pushed her, and she slightly stumbled,

"Huh?"

"Just run!" He shouted and she didn't need to be told twice she started running straight full speed and Chrom ran behind her not looking back. The ground they just stood on ruptures and the other half raises bringing red hot lava with it. Stones covered with lava started spewing out from the torn ground falling like fireballs, burning the trees down, and flooding the area with lava rapidly. Chrom catches up with her and looks around trying desperately to find a place they both could escape from the fire and lava, a clearing catches his eye to their right and he immediately shouts at her to turn as they both take a sharp right and run faster, adrenaline pumping in their veins. Chrom jumps as they reach another uphiller and Lissa screams as she jumps behind him. They both land on the soft grass and run to the clearing. They finally stop, catching their breath, with Lissa kneeling over as her lungs burned, she then lifted her eyes up and gasped. White dust suddenly concentrates on one point in the sky and then bursts, a golden ringed incarnation appears, made of stars, and in between the circle a sea blue eye opens, with white crystals lining it.

"Chrom what is that?" Lissa shouts as he turns to her and she points to the eye. He sees and it gives them chills. Suddenly they hear a groan and somethings fall from the eye. The thing on the ground gets up and walks to them and Chrom stands in front of Lissa and takes a stance. The two figures groan and they see red eyes glow in the darkness as they move in the clearing, now they could see them clearly. They looked like some bandits, wearing their armour, but they had blackened skin and red eyes. They were walking very unnaturally, and they held axes loosely in their hands. He instinctively knew these were not humans, something viler and more sinister.

The creatures noticed them, screamed and ran towards them, one raising its axe jumped going to attack him. Their movements were very simple, he easily bent and slashed at him but to his surprise that thing just turned its neck around and attacked again but he blocked it, pushing up he elbowed the creature. It flew to the other side, they were quite weak, he twisted his hand and jumped stabbing its heart from behind. The creature melted away in purple smoke making him shudder. As he tried to catch his breath, he forgot about the second one, a scream resounded and he immediately turned around,

"Lissa!" His sister was against a boulder with the other creature approaching her, backing her against it, as she snakingly held her staff up, in a vain attempt to protect herself. It raised its axe up ready to strike But -

The eye slightly rippled and glowed as another figure hurriedly rushed out of it. A young man came out and jumped down, got up and ran. He caught Chrom's attention as he ran to her, he pulls out his own sword and jumped between them and stopped the axe in time. But his stance was poor as he had to put up his sword behind him to stop it, making it very hard to handle the weight. He looked down at the girl and then groaned slightly as he turned to Chrom, who stopped in shock at seeing his sudden entrance, and shouted at him,

"Help!" That shook Chrom out of his sudden daze and he immediately got his bearings back and ran to help him, that caught the creature attention as it turned to Chrom and unconsciously lifted some weight from its axe. The boy immediately noticed this and with that opening he pulled out his sword and turned matching timing with Chrom and they both turned, slashing it from both sides, cutting it in half. It dissolved in purple smoke. They all felt relief and Lissa stood up from the boulder and looked at the stranger in surprise and curiosity. He sheathed his sword which they both couldn't make out in the dark but Chrom knew its length was the same as his. He didn't sheathe his though and stared at the boy's back. He was thankful to him for saving his sister, but he was suspicious too, after all, he had jumped from the weird eye that had also summoned those horrid creatures. He just couldn't trust him not when he needs to protect Lissa and find the others.

"Who exactly are you?" He questioned the stranger.

* * *

Robin jolted awake when she heard footsteps, she immediately tensed and listened. It sounded like two pairs were walking away. She got up and stared at the back of Chroma and Lissa as they both left the clearing not noticing her being up, she immediately noticed their weapons and wondered if they both heard something. But if they saw someone, they would have woken them all up so she guessed maybe they went there for something and just took their weapons too for caution, that could be possible, but something just didn't sit right with her. She looked around as she tried to find what was causing her instincts to scream at her. She then noticed the silence, it was too silent and she realised something was wrong. She wiggled herself up and decided to wake them up and follow the other two, she didn't have a good feeling. She crawled to Rufure when suddenly the earth started trembling and she stumbled. She hurriedly got up and shook him awake. He woke up immediately and their eyes met. She felt her heart squeeze but she immediately convened him the emergency,

"Prince Chrom and princess Lissa went somewhere I do not know where, but we need to find them immediately. " She explained, nodding at her he got up, pulling her up he walked to the knight and called his name. He also got up and just before he could explain, the earth rumbled violently and the trees started falling. They all looked at each other and Rufure shouted at them to run. He pulled her along as they both ran followed by Frederick who freed his mare and ran behind them. As they both ran, she stumbled a bit and cursed at her bindings. He pulled out a dagger and cut her ropes immediately, slowing down only for a bit. They ran and Rufure looked around trying to find a clearing, knowing well the two of them would head there too. He noticed one and guided the other two as they turned and started running, another uphill came, and they all jumped down immediately. They ran through the forest and then they heard the swords clash and they all immediately pulled out their weapons.

She ran out the woods and saw a young man in front of Lissa saving her from a horrible looking creature, it looked like a human, but one glance and she knew it was not a human. Chrom was few feet away standing but then the boy shouted, and he ran sword poised, they both slashed the creature in a unison, that should normally not be possible with a complete stranger. Then, Chrom stood with his sword still out while the boy sheathed his, he was facing them, but he didn't notice them yet. Chrom asked him who was he, but he just glanced back. Frederick came at that and immodestly came out,

"Milord, Milady are you alright?" He asked very worried as he went to them. Rufure followed worried too, both didn't notice, only she did, the boy looked up their eyes meeting and then he turned around and ran away, with no noise at all. She gasped but somehow, she didn't feel unnerved or cautious, something about the boy made her not wary of him and that worried her but she heard groaning around her and decided to put that thought away, for now. Nonetheless, he didn't seem an enemy and she needs to focus on these creatures right now. As she walked to them, she unconsciously commented, as more creatures started appearing out of nowhere in distance.

"I was not aware Ylisse had such horrific creatures." She said off handily but Chrom heard her and shook his head,

"They are not from Ylisse I promise you that." She just nodded knowing that it was true, these things, if they did exist naturally, would have been more widely known but that brought the question what these creatures were, who had a build like human and wielded weapons and wore armour but looked dead. She decides to contemplate about it later, right now killing them was far more important.

The two tacticians immediately started assessing their enemies, knowing well they need to go in the battle right now. She bit her lip as a plan formed in her mind, if it was up to her she would pair them off and sent them off to kill them, but she was not in command. Rufure probably won't entrust her to anyone one of them, maybe Frederick, but mostly just like last battle, he will ask her to stay back, not trusting her at all. She scowled, not happy but she will have to comply. She hated standing back when other people were fighting for protecting her - though they were not really protecting her they still didn't let anyone slip past and attack her and even armed her (with conditions) so she can fight back in self-defence - that never sits right her, she would rather be killed than see someone be killed in front of her while she could do nothing. She would still concede if he ordered that.

He glanced around, already knowing the perfect plan, he still feels a bit apprehension but he now felt he can at least trust her enough that she won't backstab them at a given opportunity. At least that's what he is telling himself to convince himself to trust her so easily. He knows he shouldn't believe her story so easily, that he of all people should remain vigilant and cautious but he couldn't help but want to know her, to trust her. He knows he is being soft, that was not his job, that was Chrom's job but, if she was really his sister than he doesn't want to be hostile towards her. He wants to know her. He feels conflicted when he notices something from the corner of his eye, smirking he points at it,

"Frederick check that fort." He commanded and the Knight immediately complied, bring out a glass scope and inspected it. The fort on close inspection looked sturdy enough, not the best for siege tactics but it would hold well enough if they wanted to rest in between battles or hide Lissa in it. It also seemed to have a sniping spot where they could position an archer but sadly, they didn't have one. He put it away and turned to him,

"It is sturdy enough milord if we plan to rest there for a bit, but I wouldn't recommend siege tactics as the door would probably give away easily... and there is also a sniper spot." He reported.

Rufure put a hand on his chin, thinking, "Hm... ok let's do it this way," decided he hunched them all up and briefed his plan, "First we all will make to the fort, recount our supplies and safely tuck Lissa away in there and then we will move in pairs." He explained. They all nodded, her eyes widened though, she had thought he won't trust her at all.

Their eyes met and she read he doesn't trust her completely but enough that he doesn't think she will betray them or kill any of them in the back. She wondered why he suddenly trusted her. She hadn't really talked to him only for a bit, except that they both were pointedly ignoring each other. Did he read her? No, he can't, he doesn't remember her so he should have forgotten how she acts and thinks but he still made a judgement about her, how? She racked her brain to remember any such instance where he might have seen and changed his thinking. She suddenly gasped, when she had been talking to Chrom she had assumed everyone had slept, it seemed like that but what if? It could be very possible. Rufure used to fake his sleep many times in past too, and it had taken even her a long time to recognize it and even then, she had failed at times. She felt embarrassment and slightly flushed, no one paid attention to her though. She can't believe this, she was fine with Chrom hearing her cry because that was inevitable and he seemed sincere, the kind who doesn't think crying is weak, but having Rufure hear her too was embarrassing. The one who didn't remember her at all hear her cry was very embarrassing, she now desperately wished he won't bring it up or pair them up she can't face him. She used to never cry in front of Rufure even when they were small because she knew he would get angry at whoever would make her cry and go put them down, even if it that was their own father. So, she always tried to not cry, to make herself seem strong so he won't have to constantly keep worrying about her, that habit had taken root in her. She hated crying, alone and in front of others it made her feel weak, and she hated it.

He took another glance at her and wondered why she seemed so embarrassed and worried. He knew, she knew he didn't trust her fully but did she hate that? It doesn't seem like that, maybe she just didn't expect him to trust her so fast and got surprised? It could be possible but he was not sure. He couldn't read her and that made him frustrated like he was supposed to understand her, completely. But he couldn't, no, he forgot how to and that frustrated him. She, on the other hand, seem to read him quite well, expected but it just irritated him more.

Someone nudged him and he turned to see Chrom frowning, "Rufure focus. We don't know anything about these enemies we can't have you going in a daze," He scolded him.

He flushed slightly, "Sorry I just drifted a bit."

"Yes clearly," he then turned to Robin and frowned deeper, "Robin you too focus." He scolded her and she blushed deeper as she slightly looked down.

"I am sorry I was just thinking about something."

"Clearly but you need to focus you also. We don't know anything about these creatures and right now it is just four of us and we need both of you." He scolded them and they both, heads bent, apologised as Lissa giggled slightly amused at their actions. She now was sure, as she saw them both acting so similar, they were indeed siblings, their unconscious behaviour and actions were enough to tell her that. She felt guilty towards Robin because from her perspective Lissa had stolen her brother. She decided, once they go back and clear everything she will properly apologise to Robin and make sure this time she can spend quality time with Rufure to her heart's content.

They all walked to the fort quite easily, the monsters walked quite slow and were making way towards them but not yet. They immediately head inside and checked the building, it was sturdy but not enough for them all to wait and lure those things out, the won't have enough space for them all to fight freely. He first instructed them to secure the place for Lissa and then took the steps to the top, it was decayed but was a good point to snipe and scout their enemies. He stayed a step away from the ledge as he studied the moving corpses and assessed them. He noticed her as soon as she walked up the stairs,

"What do you think of them?" He didn't turn around as he asked her.

She was not surprised, "They are not physically strong nor move properly so they should be easy to kill, but Chrom informed me they only 'die' when hit on fatal point, that can be challenging."

He nodded, "True, I am thinking of pairing me with Frederick and you with Chrom."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, it will balance it out, I can use both swords and magic, same should be with you, so while Chrom and Frederick parry with them we can snipe them."

"That's true and a good plan. But why me with Chrom? If you sent me with Frederick, he can easily kill me if I try anything."

"True but in turn, it will distract him, and he won't be able to concentrate only on the enemy in front of him. He doesn't trust you and won't let you handle his blind spots. Chrom, on the other hand, trusts anyone easily, even former enemies so he will trust you with his back."

She frowns, "Shouldn't that put him at more risk?"

"Chrom is like that and I don't believe you will hurt him. If you wanted to you could have done so already, with that dagger hidden in your boots."

She was not shocked, "You noticed." She doesn't voice out how she is glad to see he still has not lost his touch.

"Obviously I did. I might not remember anything about you, but I am the taction I need to have an eye for these things."

She blushes bright red, "You heard it." She accused him and he just hunched his eyebrows in confusion. Why was that so wrong? It was not like they were whispering or anything.

"Yes, I did."

"Ugh! Forget it, please. I can't believe even you heard me crying," She glares at him, "I don't normally cry, especially in front of strangers."

He slightly grins, "I don't mind if you cry. I mean I didn't even think it was embarrassing. But if it consoles you, I won't bring it up ever again."

"That would be good."

"Great then let's head out they should be on us now and we can't have them too near and put Lissa at risk."

She nodded and they both headed downstairs. He announced their plan and they both agreed but Frederick gave her a warning look just before they left, heading opposite to their direction. She had her thunder tome opened as she checked how many spells she had left, 20 should be enough. She still informs Chrom of this and he just asks her if they can make it, she nods, and he smiles. He has no idea about the magic she assessed but if he has been fighting alongside Rufure then he should be fine. She walked with him, a step back and when he glanced at her questioningly, she just replied with a flat stare that made his eyebrow shoot up and she sighed, this is going to be hard.

"I need to be prepared to back you up at any second, this is a good way to snipe." She explained and his face lit up in understanding, smiling wryly he dryly chuckled as he turned in front and continued searching for those creatures. (they really need a name for them if this is not going to be there only encounter).

They both noticed one a few feet away and it noticed them back. Chrom gave a glance and then ran, thrusting his sword to its chest with his superior strength. It grunted as it dissolved in smoke, she shuddered slightly as she saw that. These creatures were creepy and that made her worried. He sighed slightly as he shook his sword, to throw the blood off. That was peculiar, even though they dissolved in smoke they left blood, quite darkened but it was human blood. A morbid curiosity bloomed in her but from the corner of her eye, she noticed two more approaching so she took a stance and put the thought away for later. She opened her book and chanted as Chrom aimed for one of them the same way as before, but it blocked and then jumped striking back, she pointed and sniped that one, which made it groan as it staggered, and he stabbed it. He suddenly ran to her and pushed her away as she feels on her side roughly, scrapping her knee a bit, groaning slightly she looked up at him irritatingly to gasp slightly, he grunted and sat down holding his shoulder. An arrow which she had not noticed was lodged in his shoulder and she frowned as she hurriedly got up and sniped at the archer a foot away from them, hiding in the woods. It died and she sat down as she assessed his injury, it didn't seem that deep, she was glad but he still needs to get it looked at properly. She pulled out a vulnerary and handed to him, he drank it and smiled at her. She frowned deeper, feeling guilty, she had lost sight of it and he had to pay for her mistake.

"I am sorry," She immediately apologised, and he just shook his head.

"It's ok it's not that deep in, once we are back Lissa will cast a heal spell and it will be fine." He reassured her.

"Still I should have kept an eye on it. You paid for my mistake."

He slightly chuckled, "Don't be so hard on yourself we all make mistakes. I am also sorry for pushing you so hard."

"It's just a scratch doesn't matter."

"Lissa would beg to differ." He quipped she sighed feeling like she had lost. Letting it go, she got up and told him they should head back and get that healed, agreeing, they both walked back to the fort. She helped him up and thought, 'He is kind and selfless, The kind I can never hate.' She just silently sighed, accepting it. It was the truth, after all.

* * *

Lissa stayed put as she looked out from a hole, her whole party walking away, she knew they would take them out before they could reach her but still, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of fear run through her. So, she kept a vigilant eye out. She noticed two figures in the woods and she gulped, with a grave look she prayed it was not one of those creatures. She saw red hair from the gap and gasped,

"Captain Chrom!" Shouted a high-pitched voice as hurried hooves came out of the forest, a woman appeared. "I am coming! I knew I shouldn't have left 'em. All right, your ash-faced freaks! Which one of ya wants to try my lance on for size first? I know just the spot for it: shoved right up you're—"She grunted, wild red hair on the back of a brown horse holding a lance in her right hand. She grinned happily, glad to see Sully, one of their shepherds, here. But then from her back came another figure, a man a bit older than her brothers, with styled blue hair, wearing armour and holding an archer. He made a gallant gesture as he called out to the woman interrupting her.

"Life may be long, but the attraction is fleeting! Would you leave me in your sweet dust? Leave war to the warriors, dear bird! A beauty such as you need to wage only love." He serenaded her, his voice deep and flirty.

Sully frowned, "The hell, are you?"

"Ha! Is the lady intrigued? Of course, you are—it's only natural. I am myth and legend! I am he who strides large across history's greatest stage! The man who puts the "arch" in archer! My name, dear lady, is Vi—"

"Sorry, Ruffles—no time for this. Onward!" She cut him, not impressed and galloped towards her totally ignoring the man running behind her as he looked shocked.

"Virion, my name is Virion." He said hopelessly but the woman ignored him, instead approached the fort and looked around searching for them. Lissa sweatdropped, exasperated at the ridiculous scene she had just witnessed in the middle of the battlefield, "Milady please at least tell me your name." He begged her, she turned around confused and frowning.

"I'm Sully...And I'm a Shepherd." She answered him, nonetheless, just so that he will shut up.

"'Sully', How divine! A starkly beautiful name, as befits its owner, truly. Will you marry me, my dearest Sully?" He confidently asked her, and both the ladies stared at him in shock.

"Will I what now!?" She tries to rationalise this nonsense, "Oh wait, I get it…This is a joke. And when I put my boot through your face—that's the punch line." She hopes it is a joke because the alternative would be too crazy for her to handle.

"I realize my manly figure and noble bearing can be overwhelming. 'Tis common! So please, don't feel pressured to answer right a—" He assuredly answered her back and she grumbled, disgusted.

"How's this for an answer?!" She kicks him and he stumbles back,

"Oof! G-goodness, but those shapely legs certainly can kick, can't they… P-please, milady! Allow me to accompany you, at least! Mine is a cold, empty world without you. I shall be your most willing servant, and you, in turn, will give my life purpose…" They couldn't believe this insane man and his self-impassion, she wanted to kill him and end this nonsense right now but she knew her captain won't like that. 'Ugh for captain I must tolerate this nonsense.' she thinks.

Sully sighed, "Fine... Anything to shut you up." She grumbled, tired. He stared at her happily and she huffed, "What? Stop staring at me like that!"

Lissa sighed and came out her hiding spot and called out to the woman, who immediately noticed her and grinned. Following her the man too came up to her and smiled wide, flirty as he made the same gesture and she rolled her eyes at him, nonetheless she chuckled a bit. This was quite a hilarious situation. Then they immediately shared their information and when they asked him if he could use the bow, he flipped his hair back as he suavely answered them,

"Goddesses, I, as it happens, am an archer...The archest of archers, in fact." He bragged and they both just rolled their eyes, already getting used to his antics, and Lissa mused silently he may be weird but his weirdness was on par of all the shepherds, she had a feeling if he will come with them, he is going to definitely fit in.

She told him about the sniping point upstairs they all were talking about and he grinned as he went up and shout back that it was the perfect spot for him. He stood on the edge and took a look, He heard and grunt and noticed two of those creatures were rapidly approaching them. He informed them and Sully immediately took the lance and told her to go hide inside as she stood outside the door, she glanced up at him and he nodded stating he will support her, nodding back she took got up on her mare and ran, aiming for the right one, she swiped at it but it just grunted and attacked her with its axe, she blocked creating an opening for him, he immediately took notice and sniped at its head, the shot lodged, gurgling it dissolved. She silently grumbled as she thought 'He does have good abilities.' She then turned to the other as it raised its sword and aimed at her mare, her mare jumped and backed, dodging it expertly and then her mare ran as she cut its head off. It dissolved but the dark blood on her lance made her grunt slightly. She went back to the fort and asked Lissa if she was fine.

The girl grinned and made a peace sign,

Virion again alerted them of two figures approaching but said it was humans, they looked outside, and Sully immediately recognised her captain, but she couldn't identify the woman on his right supporting him. He stared at her confused but Lissa grumbled as she shouted at her brother, already scolding him as she ushered him inside. He sheepishly laughed as the unknown woman frowned and explained to the princess that it was not the prince's fault, he was just covering her, which pacified her. Sully stared at woman taken back, that coat and her features eerily reminded her of their tactician, and the prince and she wanted to ask them about it but one look from her captain told her it would be discussed later. She silently nodded and then explained why she was here and also explained the crazy man's presence, who took Robin hand and did the same thing he did to them. Robin gave him a disgusted look as she frowned and shook her hand away, ignoring him. That made her laugh, this woman looked tough. Chrom sweatdropped, but true to his nature warmed up to him immediately and welcomed him far more kindly than anyone else.

They heard sharp knocks and they all tensed, Chrom nodded at her and she opened the door with her lance still ready. Rufure and Frederick stood outside both raising their eyebrows at noticing her. But the tactician immediately understood as he walked in, only gave a glance to the unknown man and then assessed them all, he frowned at Chrom but didn't say anything. Frederick frowned and glared at Robin and Chrom immediately pacified him explaining what happened, he still grunted but accepted that his milord himself hurt him. Rufure sighed and then went up, scanning their surroundings and then came down informing them that all of the creatures were gone, making them all relive. They all left the broken fort and gathered around as they looked around, wondering silently what just had happened.

The boy came out of the woods making the others tense but Rufure immediately put their worries to nought, "He took care of the rest of them." He informed, calming all of them down. The boy didn't say anything, he just stood there.

Lissa took a step forward, smiling a bit, "Thank you for before. You saved me."

"You saved my sister's life, I am in debt of you." Chrom too smiled as he approached the man, friendly, "My name is Chrom, can I ask yours?"

"You may call me Marth." He finally talked, his voice not so deep. Robin quirked an eyebrow at that.

"Marth? As in the hero-king Marth? Well, you certainly fight like a hero, where did you learn your sword style?" Chrom asked genuinely curious. He slightly flinched, something only the tacticians noticed.

"I'm not here to talk about me." He immediately cut the topic, "This world teeters at the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was just a prelude. You have been warned." With that said, he immediately turned and ran away, shocking all of them.

Lissa gasped, "Huh? What's teetering where now? Hey, wait!" She shouted at him, but he just disappeared in the woods. The twin tacticians think, 'He is quite fast and agile, quite suspicious.'

"Not much for conversation, is he?" Rufure commented and Frederick nodded,

"I am sure we will see him again; his skills lie elsewhere it seems." He then frowned. "I am more worried about the capital right now." And the shepherds frowned feeling the same.

Rufure turned to Sully and asked her if she can make the trip back to the capital before them. She nodded grinning confidently when Virion asserted and said he wished to go with her, she frowned rejecting but Rufure interjected and said that would be a good idea in case they encountered more creatures, she then reluctantly accepted it. They both sat on her mare and galloped away. The group then decided to head back to their camp and salvage whatever was left and then head to the capital.

All while they walked, the three silently prayed that their home was safe, and no one was hurt.

They didn't bind her this time on Rufure saying something at which Frederick frowned but didn't fight back. She walked in between them still and with thundering heart silently hopes what waited for her in the Ylisstol was hope, not death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Hey guys I know I am hella late, I should have posted this three months ago but I couldn't. I have been stuck with all my assignments and had to put my writing on a break. I had this chapter already written out but I was working on the fifth chapter and wanted to complete writing it before I posted this chapter so ya I was finally able to get that done once I got my holidays a week back. Now, you can expect more updates from me.
> 
> I hoped you like this chapter too, do tell me how it was and if I can improve somewhere it would be the most helpful.
> 
> If you like my writings and would like to support me then I would be more than happy if you consider doing a Ko-fi donation for me. It is with the same username there.
> 
> Don't forget to bookmark, comment and/or sent kudo.
> 
> Xoxoxo, Luna.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N -A new series for my Fea fandom. I know I am supposed to be focusing on my other fics but I just had to write this. And I was first planning to write some chapters and then post it but I just needed the feedback and see how well everyone takes this idea. So here it is. I will do my best to update not only for this but for others too.
> 
> And as usual, comment, bookmark and/or kudo.
> 
> Xoxoxo, Luna.


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